Remembering John W. Murphy, Former Leader of the Flinn Foundation and an Early Supporter of Grantmakers In Health
Grantmakers In Health (GIH) mourns the loss of John W. Murphy, a founding member and former board chair of GIH, and 1999 recipient of the Terrance Keenan Leadership Award. He died on October 22, 2025, at age 88. Murphy was a visionary leader and transformative force in health philanthropy, serving as the former President and…
Advancing Health Beyond Health Care: How Policy Wins in Texas Reflect Philanthropic Strategy
At Episcopal Health Foundation (EHF), our vision is to build healthy communities for all by focusing on health beyond the walls of the doctor’s office. In 2024, we launched a new strategic framework that centers on three major action areas: health and health care services, healthy communities, and health policies. Across these areas, we also are prioritizing food and nutrition security, maternal health, and diabetes prevention, as these are critical levers for improving health outcomes in Texas.
Philanthropy @ Work – Transitions – October 2025
The latest on transitions from the field.
GIH Health Policy Update Newsletter
An Exclusive Resource for Funding Partners
The Health Policy Update is a newsletter produced in collaboration with Leavitt Partnersi and Trust for America’s Health. Drawing on GIH’s policy priorities outlined in our policy agenda and our strategic objective of increasing our policy and advocacy presence, the Health Policy Update provides GIH Funding Partners with a range of federal health policy news.
Board Service: From in Perpetuity to Term Limits
Twenty-five years ago in 1985, The Health Foundation
of Greater Indianapolis was created with proceeds
from the sale of MetroHealth, one of the first
statewide, staff-model Health Maintenance Organizations
(HMOs). As an independent, not-for-profit grantmaker, the
foundation has been, and is still, dedicated to preserving and
enhancing the physical, mental, and social health of the
Greater Indianapolis community.
Building the Community Health Worker Field through Partnership and Innovation
Minnesota is home to the country’s largest Somali and
second-largest Hmong populations and has significant numbers of immigrants from Central and
South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe. It is also home to the
largest urban population of Native Americans. With many
cultures come many different beliefs on health and illness, and
treatment and prevention options.
Giving Voice to Oral Health in Kansas: Benefits of Long-Term Commitment
Someone recently used the term philanthropy du jour,
and it was not meant as a positive appellation. As a field,
we increasingly see longevity as virtue whether it comes
under the guise of general operating support, capacity building, or place-based or strategic grantmaking. The work of the
United Methodist Health Ministry Fund in a single field –
oral health – began in late 1998. My reflections attempt to
capture the results of this extended $11-million initiative.
Foundation Collaboration: Partnering to Improve Young Children’s Oral Health
Dental disease is the single most common chronic childhood disease and is so widespread and the health effects so significant that the U.S. Surgeon General has classified dental disease as a silent epidemic (HHS 2000).
It Takes Many Villages to Create a Public Health Improvement Plan
Public health has gained attention in Colorado over the last four years as a result of a partnership that includes health foundations, the Colorado School of Public Health, the state legislature, and state and local health agencies.
Paid Sick Days: A Health Policy for Everyone
When the H1N1 pandemic broke out, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged sick people to stay home. Unfortunately, for many Americans, staying home meant losing income, losing a good shift, or worse, losing their job.




